I recently bought a Deardorff and 3 lenses. By the time they arrived I thought to myself "gee, I shouldve bought one of those lens wrench thingies to mount them with". (I live in a country where camera stores think large format means a full frame DSLR sensor)

So I called my favourite camera repair man (Jackie ex-Legend Camera Service) and arranged to drive there - 1 hr each way ... When I got there Jackie unscrewed the rear elements and instead of the wrench whipped out a standard 12" steel rule which fit perfectly into the slots across the retaining ring on all my lenses (Schneider & Rodenstock)! Just so one thing is clear - he had the wrench on his bench, but due to the tapered prongs vs the rules's square edges, the rule is in fact the better tool for this job! I now have one in my case, in case the lens get a little loose one day, but I love learning things like that - thought you might too :)

You still need a wrench to access recessed rings, like on the front elements and maybe some other lens models, but I won't be messing with any of that and it's a neat trick I think.

BTW - If you live in Sydney and need ANY camera fixed, he has closed his shop and works from home, so call me and I'll give you his number - an absolute precision tradesman and gentleman.

civich

26-Sep-2009, 06:13

Crap! And here I thought that it was just my own 'poor boy' solution to a lack of proper tools - turns out half way around the world it is the preferred technique!

Uri A

26-Sep-2009, 06:27

Love the poor boy solution every time!! Who needs a bottle opener when you have an egg-flip? :)

EdWorkman

26-Sep-2009, 11:07

I probly have an egg-flip but call it something else- what?
But I'll never forget Lamb's Fry for breakfast in Melbourne. There's no name for that here and I'll leave it at that.

Glenn Thoreson

26-Sep-2009, 11:47

I probly have an egg-flip but call it something else- what?
But I'll never forget Lamb's Fry for breakfast in Melbourne. There's no name for that here and I'll leave it at that.

We have the same name for it here in Wyoming. I'll pass, thanks. :(

Jon Shiu

26-Sep-2009, 14:32

You can easily tighten up the lens by turning the shutter body from the front, while putting your thumb on the lockring to keep it from turning. (Assuming no indexing pin sticking out of the back of the shutter).